Pic of the Day

American Coot, Fulica americana; Farmington Bay Wildlife Management Area 

   This American Coot with its chick was photographed at the Farmington Bay Wildlife Management Area, just west of Bountiful, Utah.  Farmington is about forty-miles south of the popular birding hot spot, Bear River Migratory Bird Sanctuary near Brigham.  Though Farmington is smaller than Bear River, it is well worth visiting.  A number of trails traverse Farmington providing an intimate view of nesting waterfowl, avocets and stilts.  Farmington is well worth a visit for both bird watchers and photographers.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/1000 second @ f7.1

Pic of the Day

American Coot, Fulica americana -- Viera Wetlands, Florida

     I had a slow morning at the Viera Wetlands during the first week of March, and was looking for anything to shoot.  While driving along the east side of the wetlands I saw coots swimming and feeding among the lily pads.  When I stopped to take a shot I discovered it was not the coots, but the lily pads, that I needed to photograph.  The repetitive circular patterns of the green and yellow lily pads on the blue water were just perfect, and beckoned to be photographed.   But, the image needed something else.  Fortunately, one of the coots I had seen feeding, swam into the frame and made the image complete.  The coot is not an exotic bird, but this coot brought all the elements together, and it swam into the frame at just the right time.  I just love it when all the elements come together!

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500 f4, 1/500 @ f8, FX format

Pic of the Day

American Coot, Fulica americana – Viera Wetlands; Viera, Florida

     One of the most common water birds on the continent is the American Coot.  During winter coots congregate in large rafts of hundreds, and even thousands of birds.  On the last day of 2012 I was at the Viera Wetlands where the various water impoundments held numerous rafts of coots.  While I was photographing hooded mergansers, this coot swam away from a raft of a few hundred birds giving me the opportunity to shoot an individual portrait. 

     Coots are often overlooked by photographers because they are so common, and not the most handsome of our birds.  But, I enjoy photographing all birds as long as I have a willing subject and great light.  This coot was both willing and in good light, and with that dark red eye I think he’s a quite dapper fellow!

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4,  1/640 @ f7.1, Tripod

Pic of the Day

    American Coot – Everglades National Park, Florida: Found from the Yukon to Mexico and from California to Labrador, the American Coot is one of the most wide ranging birds of North America. While on one of my shooting forays into the Everglades long ago, I found this bird at Eco Pond near Flamingo. I had little interest in photographing such a common bird as a coot, but this bird, in its prime breeding plumage with white bill and deep red eye set against the dark water was striking. I took just a few shots then continued around the pond stopping often to photograph Roseate Spoonbills, Great Egrets, and Little Blue Herons.
     At one point I took-off cross country hiking through coastal scrub to follow a pair of Bald Eagles that were on wing performing a nuptial flight. The Eagles flapped high into the sky and then clasp talons and began spinning topsy-turvy as they hurdled in freefall toward the earth. Just before striking the ground the birds released their locked talons to soar in a sweeping arc upward into the blue. It was an exciting day and the first time I had witnessed and photographed such an aerial display.
     After returning home, and in anticipation of seeing the eagle photographs I could barley stand the wait that it took to get the film developed and back in my hands. As soon as the yellow boxes arrived I eagerly laid each image on the light table and scrutinized each one. Upon seeing the images of the eagles in flight my heart sank with disappointment. The eagles, while exciting to watch and photograph did not hold the same excitement and command on film, it was a photographic failure.
     As I continued through the boxes of slides I found other images I shot around Eco Pond that same day, and much to my surprise those few shots I had taken of the American Coot jumped out at me. I found the coot images ethereal as the water y background floats in airy wisps disappearing into the darkness. My day around Eco Pond had not been a total photographic failure after all. Looking at those slides that day I quickly realized that there is no such thing as a common bird, only opportunities.
Nikon F3, Nikkor 400mm 2.8, Kodachrome 64